housing help

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supermum

supermum

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I have just ordered 2 packs of these
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=400217477784&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

I am hoping to get 2 cages out of them, 1 to hold 3 boars and 1 to hold 2 boars, I was just wondering how many grids I would need to do minimum floor space for each? I will give as much as space allows but want to make sure the floor area meets minimum recommendations either way, I do plan on adding to it over time with other levels.

Also at the moment the piggies are in 2 seperate rooms, they know of each others exsistence as when one group wheeks the others start, ideally I would like them in the same room, with boars is that possible? Also how much space will they need between cages? I had hoped to eventually have a big cage filling one wall and sort of meeting in the middle but was told I cant as they will try getting each other :{

If need be I can keep rooms seperate but it means the 2 in the living room wont have as much space, my play room (where the 3 are) is alot bigger
 
I have c&c on my lounge wall that houses two pairs of boars with a grid to divide - they chatter to each other and have never had an issue. Sometimes the one older boy will bite the grid but I keep a piece of fleece to roll down so he can't see them but most of the time, don't need to.
I used 5 packs to build mine but they only had 16 grids in each and have a three storey set up, 12ft x 2.5 ft per level so needed that amount to house six piggies in three 'separate' pens. We cut a lot of them down so wasted a few.
Let us see pics when you have done your pen please :))
Here is ours, it's had bits added since these were taken but gives you an idea:
http://s1105.photobucket.com/albums/h358/HopefulDream_/?action=view&current=piggiesmay001.jpg
http://s1105.photobucket.com/albums/h358/HopefulDream_/?action=view&current=piggiesmay008.jpg
 
Wow yours is awesome! I do want to be adding levels though I'm not sure how many I will do yet (depends how easy I find the building and cleaning outs tbh) Its good you have managed to have 2 lots next to each other, it fills me with a little hope, it would be a gradual meeting in the middle though as I buy more bits, at the moment the plan is just to give them more space then they have now, I just dont want them fighting amongst themselves as the group of 3 can squabble a little sometimes (though they have calmed down alot since I first had them)

I will do pics though it wont be anywhere near as fab as yours is xx
 
supermum said:
Wow yours is awesome! I do want to be adding levels though I'm not sure how many I will do yet (depends how easy I find the building and cleaning outs tbh) Its good you have managed to have 2 lots next to each other, it fills me with a little hope, it would be a gradual meeting in the middle though as I buy more bits, at the moment the plan is just to give them more space then they have now, I just dont want them fighting amongst themselves as the group of 3 can squabble a little sometimes (though they have calmed down alot since I first had them)

I will do pics though it wont be anywhere near as fab as yours is xx
Click to expand...

Aw thanks :red. OH is a builder so does go a bit OTT on the imaginitive side rolleyes but our piggies are happy in their homes. It was two storeys originally but we fell for a little girl so extended upwards. The upper level is for our two girlies and we have had zero issues with the boys downstairs. Don't think you will have a problem with your boys - it depends on their nature and they all have their little tiffs. As long as they have space to go off to be boarish :x should be fine.
 
they're here yey, going to play with them tonight, oh seems to want to make one big cage and order more for the babies in a few weeks, so I hope they dont sell out!
 
hi minimum for 2 boys is 5x2 so thats 14 grids
and for 3 i would say 6x2 which is 16 so the one pack is 4 girds short but if you have the room you could maybe have them joined together along one part so you need less grids?
 
Thank you, I got 2 packs so one each will meet minimum, I would love to put them together with grids down the middle but I was told I shouldnt because of them being male and wanting to attack each other through the grids, hmm maybe I will make 2 seperate minimums and pop them near each other but not attached and see how they react then if they are ok join them up? Would that give me an idea of if it will cause problems?

Though the oh has said to leave the babies as they are and use both packs on the 3 boys then order more in a couple weeks for the babies, though that might not be until we get back off holiday in July and they are currently in a indoor cage (100cm length but not sure of width) I'm not sure which route would be best to take x
 
well i have 2 groups of 4 3 girls and a nuetered boy and i have them next to each other. with only one grid dividing. you could always try and see :) its up to you.

i would make 2 if you have enough grids just make a cage for each group, silly oh lol :) x
 
lol he is silly, I think he wants to make a piggy mansion where as I would rather minimum now then build up over time, only downfall will be they would only have one level for now but I'm sure they wont mind to much, he does get some strange ideas (men hey!) I then will cost him a fortune in fleece things to line it with haha x
 
Guinea pig slave said:
I have c&c on my lounge wall that houses two pairs of boars with a grid to divide - they chatter to each other and have never had an issue. Sometimes the one older boy will bite the grid but I keep a piece of fleece to roll down so he can't see them but most of the time, don't need to.
I used 5 packs to build mine but they only had 16 grids in each and have a three storey set up, 12ft x 2.5 ft per level so needed that amount to house six piggies in three 'separate' pens. We cut a lot of them down so wasted a few.
Let us see pics when you have done your pen please :))
Here is ours, it's had bits added since these were taken but gives you an idea:
http://s1105.photobucket.com/albums/h358/HopefulDream_/?action=view&current=piggiesmay001.jpg
http://s1105.photobucket.com/albums/h358/HopefulDream_/?action=view&current=piggiesmay008.jpg
Click to expand...

That is amazing! That is like a million pound mansion in the world of piggies :)) I nearly fell of my chair when I saw it!
 
to be honest i made a second level and even thought he hay was up there only one piggy would go up! so second levels arent always best.
 
That would be my luck with the babies, I think the big ones will though as they have a 2 levels now (a small cage stuck on top of a big one with a tunnel to get up) they love it up there, the babies have never had an upper level though so I dunno, guess I will find out in the end lol, I hope they do like levels though as will be much easier to build up and give them more room that way then build out if that makes sense?
 
hmmm already hitting problems, the table the babies are currently on will only hold a 3 x 2. would that be ok if I gave them 2 levels or is the ground space really important? (It is bigger then they have now though, I thought there cage was classed as large but obviously not!)

I have a feeling the table I was planning for the others wont be much bigger, I have no more tables my only other choice will be the floor eekkk I wanted them raised to ensure the dog leaves them alone so I didnt have to lid them as I figure a lid will make it hard work to keep clean.
 
:{ gives you a headache all this designing and planning ;)
I noticed you have babies ? Be careful with the grids as they are wide enough for the little inquisites to get their heads through :...
I put a coroplast strip along mine until my little girl was big enough rolleyes
 
lol it dont half give you head ache, I thought simply bigger they have would be ok considering cages the same length sell for large sized. I may have to put off building until I have 2 more suitable tables. My babies are about 4mths old so I think they would be ok, though if the holes look to big when we finally put it together I will make sure we use something to keep them safe xx
 
:(|) We bought these, sawed them in half then put one in front of the other. OH secured them together and bolted them to the wall.
Used four in total so added to the costs but you can find them in most DIY shops for less. He just drilled a plywood base on top and hey presto :))
The total base is 2.5ft wide by 12ft in length so needed mega grids for it for the three levels.
[ame]http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tier-Solid-Bookcase-Storage-Shelves/dp/B004ZJMXSY[/ame]
The space underneath is great for storing their blankets, toys etc.
Keep us posted, you'll get there and end up with a great pen for them all :(|)
 
Oh what a clever idea, hmmm I wonder if ikea bookcases would do the same job? they are pretty cheap, hmmm gonna have to look about, it would be great to have storage for food and stuff (maybe if I end up with spare cubes I can put some underneath to hold food/ hay treats and stuff, hmmm will go mooch about the interweb and see what I can find (though I have loads of toystorage tubs maybe those would work if I glued plywood on top?)
 
I have come up with this design, its a 2x4 with a 2x2 upper area

144.jpg


146.jpg


147.jpg


I havent tied it together yet as was just experimenting, we did come up with a 3x4 design with a 2x1 or a 3x1 upper area, but this seems to give more over all space (I could be thinking wrong though, I'm hoping to mirror it and have the boys attached to each other then any spare grids may be used to make them longer, that depends on the boys tolerating each other so close though)

I do have a question though, when I did it the top dont seem to stable, however will that improve when it is cable tied and correx added or do I need to do something to make it more stable? Also what can I use to make a ramp?
 
ohhhh hes gone searching for correx, and hes going to get some towels and fleece so might be able to get them done tonight, so excited but still undecided on my design.
 
Thank you hun, I shall try the cable ties first, I'm only doing one tonight as the correx is expensive in b&q, will get more ordered for the other cage so tonights is for the 3 boys, I cant wait to get my corner looking better lol x
 
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